The much-awaited Bangladesh vs New Zealand limited-overs series will kick off from March 20. The visiting side – Bangladesh will play three ODIs and the same number of T20 matches against the host New Zealand. Team tigers have never won a match against the Blackcaps in New Zealand. Bangladesh lost all 26 matches they played against the Kiwi side in New Zealand. So, Bangladesh team management will be eager to seal a victory in New Zealand especially in the ODI format. On an individual level, some records can be broken during the contest. In this edition, we mentioned a few expected milestones both Bangladesh and New Zealand players can achieve during the series.  

Anticipated Milestones: Bangladesh v New Zealand ODI Series 2021

1000 ODI Runs

Soumya Sarkar needs 265 and Kiwi lower middle-order batsman Mitchell Santner requires 76 more runs to complete 1,000 ODI runs.  

3000 ODI Runs

Tim Latham will complete 3000 ODI runs if he scores at least 304 runs in the series. 

9000 ODI Runs

Also read: Bangladesh ODI Squad Analysis for New Zealand Series 2021

Veteran Ross Taylor will become the first New Zealand player to score 9,000 ODI runs if he scores 426 more runs during the 3-match ODI contest. 

50 ODI Wickets

Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed are in touching distance to scalp 50 wickets in ODI format. Miraz needs 3 wickets, while Taskin is 4 wickets shy to reach the milestone. On the other hand, Kiwi spinner IS Sodhi requires 7 more wickets to complete 50 ODI wickets. 

Read New Zealand Series will define Tamim’s captaincy

200 ODI Wickets

Veteran New Zealand pacer Tim Southee can reach the 200 ODI wickets milestone if he takes 10 wickets during the series.

100 ODI Appearances

Tim Latham is only 1 match shy to complete 100 ODI appearances. 

1000 T20I Runs

Soumya Sarkar needs 115 more runs to complete 1,000 T20I runs.

2000 T20I Runs

Kiwi captain Kane Williamson requires 212 runs and Ross Taylor needs only 91 runs to reach 2,000 runs milestone in the T20I format.

50 T20I Wickets

New Zealand pacer Trent Boult needs 9 wickets, while Bangladesh pacer Al Amin Hossain is 7 wickets away to complete 50 T20I wickets milestone.

Also read: BCB announces Bangladesh squad for New Zealand tour

50 Catches in T20I

Veteran Ross Taylor will complete 50 catches in T20I if he takes 4 more catches for the national side.

350 International Appearances

Tamim Iqbal will become the second Bangladeshi player after Mushfiqur Rahim (379) to complete 350 international appearances for the tigers if he plays 4 matches in the series.

300 International Appearances

Kane Williamson needs to play two matches and Tim Southee will have to play three more matches to complete 300 international appearances for the Blackcaps.

150 International Appearances

Mitchell Santner will have to play at least 5 matches during the series to complete his 150 international appearances for New Zealand. 

100 International Catches

Veteran Martin Guptill has to take 9 more catches to reach 100 international catches milestone.

50 International Catches

James Neesham needs 6, while Henry Nicholls and Liton Das require 7 more catches each to complete 50 international catches.

50 International Dismissals

Liton Das only needs 4 dismissals to complete 50 dismissals in the international circuit.

18000 International Runs 

Ross Taylor is only 138 runs shy to complete 18,000 international runs.

14000 International Runs

Tamim Iqbal has to score 431 more runs to become the first Bangladeshi player to reach 14,000 international runs milestone.

7000 International Runs

Tom Latham needs 212 runs to complete his 7,000 international runs.

3000 International Runs

Liton Das will complete his 3,000 international runs for Bangladesh if he scores 190 runs in the series.

1000 International Runs

All-rounder Mosaddek Hossain requires 104 runs to complete 1,000 international runs. 

500 International Wickets

Trent Boult needs 14 more wickets to complete 500 international wickets milestone.

200 International Wickets

Pacer Rubel Hossain will complete his 200 international wickets milestone if he takes 10 wickets in the series.

150 International Wickets

Kiwi spinner IS Sodhi needs 5 more wickets to complete 150 scalps in the international circuit.

100 International Wickets

All-rounder James Neesham requires 7 more wickets to complete his 100 international wickets for the Blackcaps.

50 International Wickets

Bangladesh all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin needs only 2 more wickets to complete 50 wickets in the international arena. 

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal has signed an agreement with Seven Rings Cement to promote the company as its brand ambassador.

Hong Kong-based Shun Shing Group is the mother company of Seven Rings Cement which produces, markets and transports cementitious materials to local and international markets.

After signing the agreement with Seven Rings Cement, Tamim said: "I am very proud to be associated with Seven Rings Cement which is the only cement company that has three cement factories in three different places in Bangladesh."

Also read: New Zealand Series will define Tamim’s captaincy

The southpaw added: "I am also proud to know that Seven Rings Cement is exporting cement to different countries."

Seven Rings Cement's Director Tahmina Ahmed said, "We are delighted to have Bangladesh national cricket team captain Tamim Iqbal as our brand ambassador."

Also read: We believe we can achieve something new in New Zealand: Tamim

Tahmina signed the agreement on behalf of the company.

Seven Rings' Director and CEO Raihan Ahmed, Director Saif Rahman, Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary Md Kausar Alam, and other officials including various department heads were also present on the occasion.

Ireland Wolves are trailing by 127 runs in their second innings after day two of the unofficial Test against the hosts at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

The tourists were batting at 35 for four in 20 overs at the end of the day's play on Saturday. Harry Tector and Curtis Campher remained unbeaten for two each.
Also read: Emerging Bangladesh to take on Ireland Wolves Friday

Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, who bagged five wickets in the first innings for Bangladesh Emerging Team, has taken three wickets in the second innings so far while right-arm fast-bowler Ebadot Hossain scalped one.

Earlier, in the first innings of the match, Ireland posted 151 in 67 overs after choosing to bat first, winnings the toss.

Curtis Campher scored 39 runs for Ireland in the first innings, but no other batsmen were able to cross the 20-run mark.

Also read: Emerging Cricket: Bangladesh finish runners-up losing to Pakistan by 77 runs

For Bangladesh, Tanvir took five wickets conceding 55 runs in 22 overs while Saif Hassan – Bangladesh captain in the game – took two wickets and Ebadot also took two.

In reply, Bangladesh posted 313 runs in their first innings riding on 92 of Yasir Ali. Saif (49), Tanzid Hasan (41) and Mahmudul Hasan Joy (42) also did well with the bat.

Mark Adair and Graham Hume took three wickets each for Ireland.

Also read: Emerging Cricket: Bangladesh reach final eliminating Afghanistan by 7 wickets

Both teams will play three one-dayers at the same venue on March 5, 7 and 9. And they will travel to Dhaka to play the last two ODIs and two T20s which will take place on 12, 14, 17 and 18.

 

Today’s Bangladesh cricket, perhaps more than any other time in history, features a plethora of young talents, who are capable of taking the country’s cricket to the next level. In this article, we are going to highlight some of the best uprising superstars in Bangladesh cricket. Stay with us to know the youngsters, who are going to rule the cricket arena of Bangladesh in the future.

Reasons why Bangladesh have produced more talented players now

Bangladesh's remarkable success in the international arena over the past 10 years has been instrumental in producing a large number of quality emerging cricketers. Besides, the individual performances by Shakib and Mustafiz in various franchise leagues have inspired the younger generation to take cricket as a profession.

We also need to mention the economic aspect of the game. Cash-rich T20 franchise leagues have opened the door to the cricketers to earn handsome money.

Bangladesh has produced a notable number of talented cricketers if we analyze the last few editions of ICC’s aged level tournament. Especially, BCB has identified a bunch of talented players from the U19 World Cup 2020 winning team and has given special attention to the group in order to prepare them for the future.

Hopefully, this set of players will bring glory to the country while representing the Bangladesh national side. In this article, we will talk about some of the rising stars who have the potential to become the next-generation superstars of Bangladesh.

Read New Zealand Series will define Tamim’s captaincy

Potential Batsmen to Lead Bangladesh National Team

Top Order Batsmen to Watch Out For

Parvez Hossain Emon was the second highest run scorer (166) for the tigers in the Youth World Cup 2020. He played an effective unbeaten 56 * run innings against Zimbabwe in the group stage of the tournament but his most responsible knock came in the championship match against India. Emon played an important role in helping Bangladesh to become a champion by partnering with Captain Akbar Ali. His bravery on that day showed that one day he would become a lion-hearted cricketer.

Parvez also surprised everyone by hitting a 42-ball century (record) in a Bangabandhu T20 Cup match last December and caught the eye of selectors. He was named in the preliminary Bangladesh squad for the Windies series but later dropped out due to injury. However, his fearless attitude indicates that one day Emon will make a name for himself in world cricket as an explosive batsman and a real superstar of Bangladesh cricket.

At one event, BCB director and former Bangladesh national team cricketer Khaled Mahmood Sujan was asked: Which batsman he would pick from the U19 world cup winning team? In reply, Sujan picked Tanjid Hasan Tamim. Junior Tamim played an aesthetic 60-run innings in the Under-19 World Cup Super League quarter-final match against the host South Africa.

He yet to show his full potential as a batsman in the domestic circuit, but Domestic has yet to match itself, but there is no shortage of talent of this left-hander. Tamim will soon be a regular starter of the Bangladesh national side if the cricket board nurtures him properly.

Another talented batsman who played for the Bangladesh youth side is Mohammad Naim. Naim played a scintillating 61-run innings in his second international match against the host India. The tall left-hand batsman has also performed well in domestic cricket. The BCB expects Naim to serve Bangladesh for a long time in the limited-overs format but for that, he has to maintain stability in batting in the domestic circuit.

Middle Order Batsmen to Watch Out For

A very talented all-rounder, Afif Hossain took five wickets in his debut BPL match in 2016 at the age of just 17. Within a year, Afif made his debut in the national team. Many consider him the next Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh as he is equally adept at handling the bat and ball. There is no doubt that one day Afif will become the most priceless and superstar player of Bangladesh cricket.

Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the highest run-getter (184) of the world cup winning Bangladesh youth team. Joy also played some good innings in the recently concluded BCB President's Cup and Bangabandhu T20 Cup. However, Mahmudul Hasan has to perform well next two/three years in the domestic circuit to earn a place in the national team set up. There is no doubt about the capability of this right-handed batsman as he has the potential to become an essential middle-order batsman of Bangladesh's national side.

Emerging Bowlers & Wicket Keepers in the Bangladesh Cricket Team

Top Spinners to Watch Out For

Left-arm Orthodox spinner Rakibul Hasan caught everyone's attention after taking five wickets in the Super League quarter-final match against South Africa in the ICC U19 World Cup 2020. He snatched most 12 wickets for the Bangladesh youth side in that tournament. Rakibul is also a very effective lower-order batsman. We can expect Rakibul will soon get a chance on Bangladesh's national side as he could be a valuable addition to the team.

Although Aminul started his career as a batsman but now has shifted his focus to become a genuine leg-spinner. Biplob is a regular member of the Bangladesh T20 squad. He won the confidence and trust of the selectors by showing excellent control of leg-spin in his debut international match against Zimbabwe back in 2019 and now he is known as one of the finest leg-spinners of the country. However, Biplob has to improve his game if he wants to secure a place in the national team.

Read Who can replace Shakib Al Hasan in Bangladesh Cricket Team?

Top Pacers to Watch Out For

Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam finished second (9) in the most wicket-takers list for Bangladesh in the U19 World Cup. He is getting regular success while representing Bangladesh HP and the 'A' team at different times. Besides, Shariful had an outstanding outing in the recently concluded Bangabandhu T20 Cup and earned a place in the Bangladesh squad for the New Zealand series. Because of his accuracy with the ball many consider him as an alternative to cutter-master Mustafizur Rahman. Shoriful has the potential to become one of the country’s premium fast bowlers and can serve Bangladesh's national team for a long time if he can nurture him properly.

Right-arm fast bowler Hasan Mahmud is arguably the fastest bowler in Bangladesh at the moment. During 2019 BPL, Hasan dazzled the batters with his speed and brilliant accuracy and finished as one of the top wicket-takers in the tournament. Hasan has outstanding control over his line and length of bowling and didn’t have to wait too long to earn a place for the national side. Hasan Mahmud is fully capable of filling the gap of Mashrafe Mortaza's absence in the Bangladesh team.

Tanzim Sakib was one of the most successful bowlers in the youth world cup winning Bangladesh team. Tiger cricket fans and BCB officials have high expectations from him as he performed well in conditions like England, South Africa and, New Zealand at the junior level. Tanzim will have to wait a few more years to earn a place in the national team as he is still young and needs to learn more to become a polish pacer. However, junior Sakib has the right talent to become one of the superstar cricketers of the Bangladesh national team.

Read Bangladesh ODI Squad Analysis for New Zealand Series 2021

Top Wicket-keepers to Watch Out For

Akbar Ali became an overnight hero to tiger cricket fans after playing a match-winning knock against India in the youth world cup 2020 final. Under his captaincy, for the first time, Bangladesh became ICC U19 world cup champion in 2020. He has been compared with India's MS Dhoni for his ability of hard-hitting batting. Native fans also call him ‘Akbar The Great’. Tiger cricket fans believe Akbar Ali will lead Bangladesh to win the ICC cricket world cup.

India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, who made his one-day international debut against Pakistan in Dhaka way back in 2008, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday.

"I thank my family, friends, fans, teams, coaches and the whole country wholeheartedly for all the support and love," Yusuf tweeted, tagging a retirement statement.

"The time has come today for me to put a full stop to this innings of my life. I officially announce retirement from all forms of the game," wrote the 38-year-old all-rounder, who hails from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.

A right-handed batsman and a right-arm off break bowler, Yusuf played 57 ODIs and 22 T20 internationals for India since making his international debut. He scored 810 ODI runs and picked up 46 wickets for India. He was also part of two World Cup winning teams. 

"Winning two World Cups for India and lifting Sachin Tendulkar on my shoulders were some of the best moments of my career," wrote Yusuf,  also the elder brother of another former India cricketer Irfan Pathan.

The hard-hitting middle-order batsman also played 100 first-class matches, scoring 4,825 runs and bagging 201 wickets. He last played for India in an ODI against South Africa in March 2012. He, however, did not play a single Test match for India.

Yusuf and Irfan hogged the limelight last year by doing philanthropic work during Covid-19 when they distributed face masks free of cost to the needy. The duo also runs the Cricket Academy of Pathans, where former India coach Greg Chappell is the chief mentor.